Elise’s journey began in her youth following a personal religious awakening. Growing up in Tralee, she grew concerned for the welfare of the young drummer boys and soldiers stationed in the local barracks. In an era when military life was notoriously harsh, barracks conditions were bleak, and soldiers frequently had few outlets other than local public houses, Sandes envisioned a different kind of environment.
Her primary objective became the establishment of "soldiers' homes" - safe, alcohol-free havens designed to offer warmth, recreation, reading rooms, and basic human companionship. What began as a local initiative in a small room quickly blossomed into an international lifelong mission.
In June 1877, Sandes achieved a major milestone by opening a dedicated home in County Cork. This facility provided a welcoming social space where men could forge friendships, enjoy hot tea and games, and escape the hazards of garrison town temptations.
With the help of a dedicated network of volunteers and fundraising efforts, her vision expanded. By the early 20th century, her network had grown to include homes across various garrison towns in Ireland and several locations overseas, including India. During the First World War, these spaces became vital hubs, with Sandes and her volunteers often working late into the night to provide hot meals, parcels, and writing materials to troops passing through on their way to the front lines.
Following the geopolitical shifts and the partition of Ireland in the early 1920s, Sandes relocated northward. Having spent years stationed at the expansive Curragh Camp in County Kildare, she eventually brought her work to Ballykinlar in County Down.
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The landscape of South Down offered her a measure of comfort. The stunning scenery reminded her fondly of her native Kerry. A new home was established in the area to continue her pastoral and social support for the troops stationed at the Ballykinlar camp.
Sandes’s extraordinary dedication to human welfare did not go unnoticed. In 1920, she was awarded a CBE in recognition of her decades of humanitarian service. She continued her hands-on benevolent work for another fourteen years until her passing in August 1934 at the age of eighty-three.
In a rare distinction for a civilian woman, Elise Sandes was accorded full military honours at her funeral. She was laid to rest at Tyrella Parish Church, a short distance from the Ballykinlar camp.
Her gravestone inscription summed up her life's work in simple but powerful words:
"For 66 years—The Friend of Soldiers."
Down County Museum holds Elise Sande’s CBE and personal desk in its collection. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11.00 – 16.30 and entry is free.
